(NZ) Sheep slaughtered to music in the name of art

[Guest guest]

**SHEEP SLAUGHTERED TO MUSIC IN THE NAME OF ART**

 

An exhibition opening in the Capital tomorrow includes a 15-minute video of

a sheep having its throat cut, then being skinned and disembowelled, all

accompanied by electronic dance music.

 

Wellington SPCA fears it could encourage other people to try to slaughter

sheep in their backyards.

 

The sheep was killed in Gollans Valley, near Eastbourne, by farm manager and

artist Grant Muir. The video and several paintings feature in his

exhibition 'Of A Dog', at 136 The Terrace. Mr Muir said he expected the

video to disturb some people, especially those who had never lived on a

farm. But one of the reasons he had made the " video art piece " was because

many who ate meat did not know what was done to an animal.

 

" It's the reality of animals dying for our food consumption. And people

seem to have a fairly romantic idea about death. It takes away some of the

romance and with the dance music playing in the background you can't help

but smile. That's an interesting emotion when you are perhaps feeling a

little bit of revulsion at the same time, " he said.

 

As a farm manager he had killed hundreds of sheep, but he didn't like doing

it. This sheep would have been killed even if he hadn't made the video - it

was needed to feed his farm dogs. Mr Muir, who isn't a vegetarian, said the

sheep was killed humanely. He explains in the video that the knife must be

sharp and the cut must be quick and clean. Wellington SPCA director

Rosemary Williams, who hasn't seen the video, today wasn't concerned about

the sheep's welfare if it had been killed that way. " It is a humane way to

kill and is infinitely preferable to [sheep] going through disgusting

transportation and horrific standing around, and maybe not having food and

water 24 hours before they are killed, " she said.

 

However, she said the SPCA was worried the video could encourage people to

try slaughtering sheep at home. " My only scare and worry is that people go

in and then emulate him, but not do it with his skill. There's a lot of

backyard slaughter which is done inexpertly and inhumanely. "

 

--Tom Cardy, Arts reporter--